Greenpeace: Granting 190-Year Rights to Companies for IKN Investment is a Betrayal

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian President Joko Widodo or Jokowi's development of the Indonesian Capital Nusantara or IKN in East Kalimantan has attracted haphazard investments, said Greenpeace Indonesia's Forest Campaigner, Muhammad Iqbal Damanik. In an online discussion on Sunday, August 18, Iqbal criticized the government for granting companies 190-year rights to invest in the new capital

“We believe that granting 190-year rights to companies for IKN investment is a betrayal of the ideals of Indonesian independence,” Iqbal stated.

The coalition of civil society groups and residents from seven villages affected by the IKN project in Penajam Paser Utara Regency, East Kalimantan, has echoed Iqbal's sentiments, calling for Indonesia not to be sold and raising the slogan "Indonesia is Not For Sale, Merdeka!" This call was also displayed on a red cloth hung on the Balang Island Bridge.

“We can 100% feel the ideals of Indonesian independence,” Iqbal emphasized. 

The coalition's appeal, which coincided with the Indonesian Independence Day ceremony at the IKN, involved various organizations, including the IKN Project Victims, the Indonesian Environmental Forum (Walhi) Mining Advocacy Network, Working Group or Pokja 30, the Indonesian People's Faction, the Legal Aid Institute, the Balikpapan Coastal Working Group in East Kalimantan, PBH Peradi, Greenpeace Indonesia, Trend Asia, the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation, the Walhi National Executive, and the Legal Aid and Human Rights Association, which are members of the Land for the People Coalition.

The Independence Day celebration involved civil society and residents from seven villages, including Pantai Lango, Jebora, Maridan, and Sepaku, which are part of the IKN territory. The celebration featured a sea parade.

The Land for the People Coalition used the occasion to advocate for independence and demonstrate a nationalistic spirit. Additionally, Iqbal said the coalition conveyed to the upcoming government the need for environmentally sustainable development and respect for indigenous peoples' rights.

“We call for the restoration of indigenous peoples' rights and the return of people's rights, with the slogan 'Indonesia is Not For Sale,'” Iqbal said. He explained the choice of this slogan, stating, “We see that in the ten years of President Jokowi's government, haphazard investments have taken place.”

He went on to say that haphazard investments and the construction of the IKN have disrupted the lifestyles of residents affected by the project, including those in Balikpapan. While the IKN development should bring prosperity to nearby residents, many have been displaced in the name of progress. In fact, he argued that they have not benefited from the welfare-oriented development envisioned by President Jokowi. “This is a manifestation of colonialism,” he concluded.

IKHSAN RELIUBUN

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